Page 17 of Sheltering Lawson
She took in the buildings, storefronts, and the gazebo in the center square. “There used to be a statue there of Colonel Beauregard Sutton, the founder, but he turned out to be a thief and a murderer, so my best friend, Chase Sutton, the founder’s descendant pulled it down with his pickup truck.”
She turned to look at me, her gaze wary. “Are you pulling my leg?”
“God’s truth. Would a preacher’s son lie?”
“I’m not sure. Would he?”
“Nope. Truth is always the better course of action.”
“How about little white lies?” she asked, her voice sounding intent.
“I guess they would be okay because they come from a place of sparing people’s feelings.”
“Everyone has motivations for doing or saying things,” she replied. “As long as no one is getting hurt, what’s the crime?”
She didn’t look remotely vulnerable. Quite the opposite. So why was it I felt like she was asking me if I was going to hurt her? “I’m not the white lie police,” I said. “We could ask my daddy his opinion.”
Her mouth quirked at my response, but her gaze seemed to continue to seek something out on its own. Just as I was about to break the silence, she said, “And eat more hellfire and brimstone. I think not. It just goes right to my hips.” She watched as the town disappeared behind us, the foliage closing in on either side once again. As if our little moment hadn’t even happened.
But it had happened, and I wasn’t being quite as successful shaking off its effects as she apparently was.
Soon we got to the church that was just at the outskirts of town. There was the rectory with its play area for the daycare my mom ran, the church with its steeple, the picnic tables, grill and gazebo Boone had installed, the lushness of the bayou beyond framing the charming view in deep, forest green.
I’d grown up here, played and swam in the bayou, caught frogs and ran wild with Chase Sutton while tolerating Chase’s kid brother Jake and the Outlaw boys tagging along. My chest got tight thinking about it.
As soon as I parked, we could hear childish laughter and squeals coming from the back of the house where a creek flowed.
I went around and opened the door for her and she slipped out. She turned just as I reached down for her bag. The movement sent my nose right into her hair, where I’d wanted it when I’d picked her up. I should have backed up, putting space between us. But, I was overcome with the scent of her, taking full advantage of the accidental contact and breathing her in.
She didn’t move. I tried to tell myself it was because she was trapped between me and the truck, but one move from her would have had me retreating, except she continued to stand still. Rushing into something with a woman who wasn’t going to stay wasn’t smart, but after kissing her and comforting her, I just couldn’t seem to separate my head from my heart. We had been harmlessly flirting since we left Outlaws. This…well, this didn’t feel harmless.
“Ethan? Come on in.” The sound of my momma’s voice made me pull away, but still felt like an effort. I snagged the bag and backed off her.
Saved by the Momma bell.
“Who do you have with you?”
The moment was broken when Lawson frowned, then backhanded me on my upper arm. “You didn’t tell your momma I was coming?”
“No, it slipped my mind.”
“Geez, Ethan. This is an imposition.”
“No it’s not.” I grabbed her arm, closing the door and dragging her up the walk. “Momma, I brought a guest. This is Lawson Edwards. She’s new in town and working at Outlaws.”
She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “Yes, I’ve heard rumors about a new girl.” After she let me go, she reached out her hand which Lawson took, shaking it briefly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I hope this isn’t an imposition, Mrs. Fairchild.”
“Oh, please, call me Monica,” she said waving us inside. “We always have room at the table.” She smiled warmly. “I’ll take that.”
“It’s Braxton Outlaw’s biscuits.”
“Oh, how sweet of you and very yummy. Now I won’t have to make any, even better,” she said cheerily. She set the container in the kitchen and came back out. “We’re down at the creek. I just popped up here for some lemonade.”
She reached for a tray that was on the coffee table, but I smoothly took it out of her hands. “I’ll carry it.”
She set her arm around Lawson and started to steer her toward the back door. She glanced back at me with this dazed look on her face at my momma’s kindness. I smiled at her and shrugged. “So, Lawson, tell me about how it is to work for Braxton.” She dropped her voice to a stage whisper and murmured, “I hear he’s a pussycat.”
